Jehovah Witnesses Who Sold Bibles

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 196, 18 August 1942, Page 4

Jehovah Witnesses Who Sold Bibles

CHARGE OF SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES. Two young women, Irene Grace Bagnall, aged 27. and Mavis Lilian Rout, aged 22, both of Wellington, appeared before Mr H. P. Lavrry, S.AI. in the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court yesterday to answer a charge of participating in the activities of Jehovah Witnesses, an organisation which had been declared sub-Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklcjohn conducted the prosecution. Mrs Annie Clout, of Oxford Street, Levin, told the Court that at U a.m. on June 15 the two accused came to her place. They asked if she had a Bible, her reply being that she had two or three which was plenty if slio wanted to read one. Miss Bagnall asked her if she had a son in uniform, her reply being that she didn't but had a daughter in the Middle Last and that running around with Bibles wouldn't help the war. Miss Bagnall asked her whether, if she had four sons instead of four daughters, she would like them in uniform. Her reply to the girls was that she would be very much surprised if sons of hers did not don uniforms. Witness said the girls told her they were Jehovah Witnesses. She was afraid she did most of the talking during liie half-hour, trying to put them right. The trend of the views of Miss Bagnall was that she was opposed to bloodshed and the sending of troops overseas. Witness added that she thought it her duty to report the matter to the Police. To Mr E. Parry, counsel for the girls, witness said the girls came to her talking the Bible. Her reaction was to give them her views and from that the conversation led to the war and activities of other Jehovah Witnesses. Constable F. Baker, of Levin,said he caught up with the two girls at tile house next to Mrs Clout. Both admitted participating in the activities of Jehovah Witnesses and Miss Bagnall declared it was their way of winning the war. She admit ted also that she had been prosecuted before for such activity and been to prison. Constable Baker said the girls thereupon went back to where they were staying but were out canvassing again in the afternoon. Detective A. Iteid, of Napier, said he arrested the two young women at Napier, in their baggage was a quantity of Jehovah Witness literature and a record of the conversation with Mrs Clout ana the police, written apparently by Miss Bagnall. Answering, the Magistrate, Detective Sergeant Meiklejohn said the Police hau no evidence of the gills having distributed any of the literature, some of which was by Judge Rutherford. Detective Reid added that the girls liad only sold one Bible in Napier in the month they were there. His Worship said the Police had to show that the girls were more than just Jehovah Witnesses and in possession oi the literature of that body. They would have to show that the girls had tried to spread the beliefs either by word oi mouth or distribution of literature. It was no offence to be a Jehovah Witness. Mr Parry pointed out that the Witnesses now had permission to meet for prayer and the distribution of the Bible. In the case of the two accused, a few indiscreet remarks had been made by them but only when they had been asked to express their views. Detective-Sergeant Meikiejolm submit- . ted that the written account by Miss Bagnall of the Levin conversations, was sufficient evidence of subversive activity. His Worship: The nearest is her statement that ‘‘we started work at 9 o'clock" but there arc limited ways within the organisation in which they can work such as selling Bibles. The charge was dismissed.

“They Look Honest!” “Wheat and wool growers and dairymen ail complain that they do not get a fair deal. How do the potato growers manage to get satisfaction t* * asked Mr. W. J. Armstrong at a meeting of the Waimate branch of the Farmers’ Union when a resolution was adopted expressing appreciation of tho treatment accorded growers by Mr. Barclay, Minister of Agriculture. ‘‘Potato growers look so honest,’’was the reply from the back of the room.